The Night Before Christmas
by starry-nights88
Summary: Follow up to A Christmas Carol - Edward's a man who has everything; the love of his life, two beautiful children, and one Christmas tradition he's determined to see through.


**Starry's Corner:** This is the follow up to my one-shot 'A Christmas Carol'. I wasn't planning on writing a sequel to it, but then a fan suggested this idea and I remembered a tradition from my childhood. It seemed like a good idea, so I went with it. Merry Christmas. From me to you. And, Happy New Year! I'll see you in 2011.

* * *

The Christmas tree cast a multi-colored glow across the twins' faces as they huddled closely together underneath a blanket with a bowl of kettle corn between them, both silent as they watched the claymation version of '_Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer_'. A contented warmth flooded Edward as he watched the scene before him, all the while holding his younger lover close, smiling when he heard a pleased sigh fall from the man's lips.

Everything was perfect. Everything was so breath-takingly perfect that, well, it took Edward's breath away and he knew that his life couldn't possibly get any better that what it was at that moment. He had everything he wanted and couldn't think of anything else that'd make it better…

…well, maybe that wasn't completely true. Edward could think of at least one more thing that would make his life complete, but if he couldn't have it, he'd be contented without it.

As their children watched the program, Edward turned to his younger lover. "How about we let them open a gift tonight?" He asked in a hushed tone, one he was certain the twins couldn't overhear.

It was a moment before an answer came and Edward was beginning to think that Jacob hadn't heard him, but then the younger man turned to look at him, a confused look on his face. "But…it's only Christmas Eve," he pointed out softly, giving the elder man a meaningful look.

Edward heaved a soft sigh and turned his body towards his lover. "I know, baby," he answered softly, laying his hand across the back of the sofa. "But when I was a boy my parents would let me open a present on Christmas Eve." He frowned for a moment, thinking. "I just, well, I thought it'd be nice. A family tradition for us, you know?"

Once again Jacob didn't answer right away, but Edward could tell that the younger man was mulling over the idea. "We always opened our presents on Christmas morning." It wasn't a tone of agreement, but then again, Edward knew that Jacob wasn't completely turned off by the idea. He was simply stating a fact and then leaving the floor open for negotiations.

"Just one?" Edward replied, giving his partner a pleading look as he reached for his hand, curling their fingers together before he brought it to his lips. "It doesn't have to be a big one, just something to hold them over until tomorrow morning. And, hey, I'll even let you open one."

A thoughtful look came over Jacob's features as he turned away from Edward, looking at their twins, watching them for a long moment before another sigh left him. "Oh, alright…" he said softly before looking back at Edward, his lips curling into a small smile. "But, just one. And after the movie's over."

Edward smiled broadly at that. "Of course," he replied softly, leaning over to steal a chaste kiss from his lover. "After the movie," he agreed readily before he and his young lover settled down to finish watching the holiday movie with their two children.

**xxx**

The ending credits rolled across the screen and Jacob tried not to grin as he watched Caleb yawn widely- the little boy who insisted that he _was not_ tired and didn't want to go to bed, now could he please, _please_ stay up and watch cartoons?

"Daddy?" Caleigh said, rubbing her eyes in a sleepy fashion, biting back her own yawn as she wedged herself between Edward and Jacob, leaning heavily against Jacob-who was 'Daddy' for all intent purposes. "Can you read me a story?"

Jacob tried to muffle his snickers as he wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders, watching Edward stand up and walk across the room before he knelt down in front of their Christmas tree to pick out gifts for the twins to open before bed. "I can do that, _after_ Dad lets you open a present."

Alertness brightened both children's faces and Jacob had to laugh out loud at that as Caleigh pushed herself away from him and Caleb turned towards Edward. "A present? Really?" She said, sounding hopeful as Edward stood, nodding in agreement.

"One present. For each of you," Edward replied, holding out two boxes; one was thick and wide, and the other long and thin. The thick and wide one was passed to Caleb, and the long and thin one passed to Caleigh.

Both children sat in the middle of the living room floor to unwrap their gifts while Edward returned to his place next to Jacob, working a small, wrapped box from his pocket as he sat. Though Jacob didn't see it and Edward didn't call attention to it, both watching the kids with identical looks of anticipation on their faces.

The tense silence was broken by a delighted squeal from their little girl and clutched in her hand was a glittering locket with Edward's family crest engraved on the front. "It's just like Aunt Rosie's!" Caleigh said, rushing up to her parents so one of them could put it on her.

"Mine's like Daddy's!" Caleb said, holding up the fine leather cuff with the same family crest engraved on a rounded copper plate for Caleigh to see and, for a moment, both Jacob and Edward allowed the twins to inspect each other's gifts (Caleb eventually opening Caleigh's locket to reveal a miniature family portrait that was taken just a few months after they came together) before they called for the kids' attention.

"Do you like them?" Edward asked, smiling at both kids, watching them both excitedly nod their heads in agreement. "That's good. We're happy you do. But guess what time it is…?" Both kids groaned at that, but both he and Jacob managed to get them off to bed with little to no fighting, whining, or bribing.

**xxx**

Once both children were fast asleep. Edward and Jacob came together in the hallway, sharing a quiet kiss before continuing out into the living room to straighten up and lay out the rest of the presents.

"Hey," Jacob said after a moment as he folded the blanket the kids had used to cover up with while they watched the movie. "You said I could open up something too. Where's my gift?"

Edward snickered at that as he fished out the gift he had stowed away between the couch cushions. "Why, my love, it was under your nose the entire time," he answered innocently, holding out the box for Jacob to take.

Jacob blinked and took the wrapped gift after setting the blanket on the coffee table. "What is it?" He asked, sliding his fingers beneath the folds of wrapping paper to tear them apart.

"If you'd open it, you'd know," Edward pointed out, sounding more than a little amused as he watched Jacob pull the jewelry box from the wrapping paper, pausing to give him a strange look before he pulled the lid off of the box.

Edward really wasn't sure what reaction he had been expecting when Jacob opened the box to find a simple, beautiful ring nestled in folds of fabric, but he knew the reaction he got was something he'd remember for the rest of his life.

"Edward…its ring…"

"Yes, I know. Will you marry me?" Edward asked, feeling the nervousness creeping up inside of him as he watched Jacob pull the ring free. They had been together for nearly six years, Jacob had already accepted the cuff with his family crest on it, and they had two children together. Was marriage really that big of a step? It was just the natural step to take.

"Well, _duh_!"


End file.
